


A Tale Lost In Time...

by LotusRebirth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2014-12-21
Packaged: 2018-03-02 15:11:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2816705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotusRebirth/pseuds/LotusRebirth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a story focusing on a past love life of Hatake Kakashi. This is the introductory chapter, and may contain spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. [Chapter 1: Sobering Expectations]

**Author's Note:**

> *I began writing this, before completely catching up to this point in Naruto. Some events may be off, but I will correct the time line later on. I hope that this will be forgiven ^^'' *

Leaves drifted across the dirt path as a slight breeze picked up. The bar had finally been completed after the recent destruction of Konoha, and in celebration Gai and Kakashi had decided to meet up for a light competition. Their competition had gone along smoothly as each of them took shot after shot. “Tonight is the night that I will beat you, rival,” Gai hiccupped.

Kakashi lowered his mask for a quick shot and he smiled underneath his mask as the warmth of the alcohol painted his cheeks red. “Perhaps. It has been a while since I have gone out to drink.” As the bartender poured their next round of shots however, Kakashi felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned carefully in his chair, and his uncovered eye fell upon Sakura’s face. He was about to greet her normally before his mind clicked that she seemed out of sorts. Her eyes were darker than normal, and the entire air about her seemed tense.

“Tsunade-Sama wants to see you.” She finally spoke, her voice quivering slightly.

Kakashi’s head tilted to the side. “Can it wait until morning?”

Sakura’s head shook violently back and forth. She leaned closer to him before muttering in his ear. “It is urgent, but don’t act out of sorts..”

A sobering feeling crept up inside him as his good mood started to dissipate. One thirty in the morning and the Hokage was summoning him. His stomach seemed to drop as he took to his light legs. His mind fought through the alcoholic cloud swirling about him, as he walked from the bar, leaving Gai not only confused, but also with the tab. “I’ll have to pay him back later..” Kakashi thought to himself. He had sobered up to a light buzz as he walked alongside a very quiet Sakura. He glanced slightly in her direction, and her eyes were pointed at the ground.

Did somebody die? Was there a nearby attack? He had no idea what to expect, and this made him want to turn right around and retreat to the bar. His hands slipped into his pocket, and he kept walking forwards. The breeze danced through his silver hair, and cooled his once warm core. With each scrap of dirt beneath their feet, he grew more impatient. A few other ninja and citizens out for a night of gambling or drinking walked along the same road, a few groups erupting into sudden laughter. As they got closer to the temporary Hokage headquarters, another person joined the two on his other side. “Naruto.” Kakashi said, without even glancing over.

Naruto was still in his pajamas, his hands rubbing at his eyes. He just grunted in response and Kakashi sensed Shizune’s chakra following not too far behind. Once they reached the entrance of the headquarters, Sakura slid the screen back and walked in ahead of them. Aoba stood in the hallway with a few other familiar faces. None of them acknowledged the group, and as they entered Tsunade’s office, a wave of confusion swept over Kakashi.

First his eyes landed on the once missing Yamato sitting in a chair in a corner of the room, and then upon Tsunade’s face, and finally on the back of what he assumed was a woman, given her shape. Tsunade looked like she had seen a ghost, and Kakashi noticed the deep grooves in her desk, and he could tell that she had dug her nails into the poor mahogany wood. He wasn’t even sure how many desks she had gone through, and he hadn’t even bothered to attempt to keep track. His curiosity then turned to the woman in the room.

Her chakra seemed familiar to him, but he couldn’t quite place from where. Given her relaxed stance, she didn’t seem to be a threat…yet. He took in the details as it seemed no one was going to fill him in anytime soon. The woman in front of him was no more than 5’5”, and her hair went down, cascading to mid-thigh. Her hair color was very interesting, as the top was a fiery red, and the under layer matched the same blonde of his student Naruto. He noted that the style was choppy, yet feminine. His eyes glanced over her outfit. Her outfit seemed to be a Lolita dress in a deep purple. Lace trimmed certain parts of her outfit, and her boots came up to her knee, which showed just enough thigh. Alcohol talking. He focused once again on Tsunade.

The woman brought her hands up to the back of her head, and she sighed out loud. “Can we get this going already?” Her voice was kind, even though she sounded slightly impatient. He still couldn’t place as to why she seemed so familiar.

Tsunade cleared her throat. “Kakashi. I need you to identify this woman. She claims to know you.”

He tilted his head before stepping forward. “I can’t quite place where I might know her from, but her chakra is very similar to someone I know.”

Of course he wouldn’t outright say who that person was, without knowing for sure. The woman turned to face him, and he felt his heart fall through his feet.


	2. [Chapter 2: The Sinking Heart and the Tell Tale Wonder]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi begins to regret leaving the bar...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The chapters will become longer, and I may change the rating later on.*

His heart sank through the ground as he stared into her eyes. Her pools were a crystalline blue, and full of such warmth. He scanned her face, wanting to not remember her. Wanting to forget. Wanting to run back to the bar. He felt dizzy and wasn’t sure if the alcohol was hitting him back again, or if he was waking up from a dream. Her plump lips were moving, but he couldn’t hear her words. He felt as if he was trapped in some sick genjutsu. This woman shouldn’t be here. She should be…

“Kakashi?” She asked again, her slender fingers reaching for his shoulder. He stepped back, and stared at her, bewildered. This wasn’t who he thought she was, it couldn’t be. Jiraiya swore she was dead. He even brought back her bloodied headband. He felt a panic he hadn’t felt in years, not since he killed Rin. His world was cracking beneath him.

“Kakashi-Sensei?” Naruto asked, catching him as he lost his balance.

Tsunade watched carefully. “Then I can conclude that she is who she says she is.”

“Who is she then?” Naruto inquired, as Kakashi stabilized himself on his own.

Tsunade locked eyes with Naruto. “Namikaze Mika.”

Now it was Naruto’s turn to feel panicked. “But that means…”

Mika nodded. “I am your older sister.” She walked towards him. “You’ve gotten taller than the last time I saw you.”

Kakashi placed both hands on each of her shoulders. “You’re dead.” He growled beneath his mask. “Jiraiya-sama told me himself.” Mika’s hands moved to his, and she pulled them lightly off her shoulders, but still held onto his hands. She looked calmly at him, and he felt that heart shattering drop again. He stood. Frozen. Confused. Angry.

“I had to take care of a few missions, but I _needed_ everyone to think I was dead.” Mika stated as if this was a normal occurrence. “I have intel on the Akatsuki. Jiraiya-Sama assigned me to the missions, and explained that in order for them to succeed, I had to disappear.”

Kakashi just stared in response. “But…” He felt defeated as he fell silent once again.


	3. [Chapter 3: The Child of the Moon]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More insight is explained about Mika.

His defeated look fell upon her face once more. He began to move his lips to speak, but Mika was suddenly grabbed roughly by her dress collar. Naruto’s now white knuckles shook as his grip tightened. Part of the collar tore, yet her face remained calm. She had expected that her sudden return would not be quite as welcoming as she had dreamed it would be. Her feet lifted off the wooden floor as Naruto picked her up. She just looked down at him, her arms hanging to her sides. Naruto’s eyes searched her face, and he saw them. His parents in her face. He also noticed the red makeup running from her eyes. He saw him. Jiraiya.

Mika waited patiently as Naruto’s hands began to loosen. Her shoes once again met with the ground beneath her, and her mouth curved up into a light smile. She moved a hand to the tear, and sighed. “This is a shock, I am sure.”

Her mannerisms were closer to their father than to their mother Naruto imagined. He had so many questions, where should he begin? He looked at his… it was too weird for him to think of her that way yet. “Mom said that I was her first birth..” He finally spoke.

Her head bobbed in a nod. “That is true.”

“Then how could you be my sister?”

Her hand reached into a pouch on her left hip and she pulled out a seed. “There was once a legendary flower that grew in a forest not too far from this village. It was said that if plucked and given with true well-meaning in your heart, then the receiver could be granted a wish. But, if the flower was picked with ill intentions, then the picker would be turned into a massive tree, left there to think of their dark heart for the rest of eternity. Our father had read of this flower in a book when he was younger, and as he grew older, he held a curiosity towards this flower.”

Naruto nodded slightly before Mika continued. “Only five flowers bloom every hundred years, and out of the five, the same person cannot pick more than one. So that means that five people have the opportunity to have a wish granted. Or, five new trees might join the forest. Many people thought the flower to be of urban legend, since many had tried to find the bush, but not many had succeeded in returning with one of these flowers. They open twice a day, once as the sun rises, and then again as the sun disappears from the sky. Father had it set in his heart that he would find one of these flowers for our mother. He set out on his journey with a special pot that you have to prepare a month in advance to harvest the flower. Any other pots or vases will just cause the flower to wither away.”

The group surrounding her in the room remained completely still as her words swirled about in the air. “Father tried three separate times to find the flower. On the first occasion he was attacked by a bear, and he killed the bear in his own defense. This left ill intent in his heart, and he knew this, so he shattered the vase and waited three months before attempting again. The second time, he was stopped by an old woman who asked for his help, and in his hurry to make the second blooming for that day, he continued on, leaving the woman to carry her own water. This left ill intent once again. He waited a year before his third attempt. This time, he was determined to approach the bush with complete true well-meaning in his heart.”

“He began his journey early in the morning, and this time he came prepared. On his path, he came across a bear once again, but this time he brought out raw meat from his bag, and laid it for the creature. The bear ate the meat, and showed father its paw, which was filled with dirt. Father took the dirt for his pot and then continued into the forest. Once again, he met the elderly lady, but this time he stopped to assist her. Once they reached her destination, she gave him a pair of shears. He placed these into his bag, and continued on. Once he reached the clearing where these flowers grew, a spirit appeared to him, and asked him the true meaning of life.”

“Father thought on it for a few moments before telling the man that he did not know the answer, but that he would find it on his journey through life. The man nodded, and turned to a bush behind him. He allowed a single flower to bloom, and father snipped it from the bush with his shears, before placing it into the dirt inside his pot. The flower rooted, and opened even further. The spirit sprinkled his will upon the flower before finally departing to his heaven. Father quickly returned to the village, and went to our mother. He gave her the flower with good intentions. He told her to think very strongly on what she wanted in the future.”

Naruto had taken a seat on the floor, and he was leaning forward as she continued her story, his eyes full of wonder and excitement. “Mother placed the flower in a windowsill, and the moonlight fell upon it. She thought of something that she wanted in the future. A Family with our father. As soon as this wish left her mind, the moon carried it down into the roots of the flower. She went to sleep, and the next morning, she awoke to a baby’s cry. I was born of the moon and the earth, born of love and hope. So I took certain qualities of our parents. Since they were still young when I was granted to them, they had help in raising me. They found that I have…well, unusual qualities.”

Tsunade cleared her throat. “That is ridiculous. Flowers like that don’t exist, and you shouldn’t lie to Naruto—“

Mika’s eyes landed upon her. “Jiraiya has told you about me, if you think carefully. Since I am here, that means he should be returning soon, to explain to you—“

“He’s dead.” Kakashi spoke softly.

Her eyes moved quickly to him, and her once calm demeanor started to melt away. “Dead? If he was dead, he would have visited me, and—“

“He couldn’t visit you if he was dead though.” Naruto chimed.

“No, Naruto. It is different for Mika. She can see and speak to the dead. She is also able to use her chakra to materialize them for short amounts of time, if they request it of her.” Kakashi corrected him quickly.

Tsunade’s eyes widened. “Now I remember. He used to refer to you as the Moon Child… You allowed me to speak to my brother that time in..” Her eyes landed on her desk, “I thought it had just been some genjutsu.”

Mika shook her head. “No. Instead of being able to cast certain jutsus like normal ninja can, I am only able to borrow abilities of those of the dead. And those abilities only last me a short time, depending on how strong their spirit is. It also depends on how strong of a bond I had with the spirit. The stronger the bond, the longer I can materialize them, or borrow their abilities. I can only use substitution jutsus on my own. The only incredible thing about me is that I can use anything that the borrower allows. So, fire, water, whatever. If Yamato was dead, he could grant me the use of his Wood Style jutsus. It takes a great deal of strength out of me to fight though, so I am usually just a support…”

“So you could show me mom and dad again?” Naruto asked excitedly.

Mika glanced over to him. “Only if they asked me to. I can’t just summon whoever I want, they have to seek me out and request it. Unlike Kabuto’s disgusting reanimation jutsu…”Her fists clenched. “Speaking of which… I found this man hooked to a machine for Kabuto. He explained to me who he is, and where he is from. So, I felt this was the right time to return. He is going to need medical attention, and more than likely surgery.”

Yamato smiled weakly from his chair. “I was very lucky she came to my aid.”

Mika handed Tsunade a group of scrolls. “Some of this information may be a little late, but I am sure it will help in the upcoming battles of the future. I am now to report to you, since Jiraiya is no longer able to… Anyways, I was found out by Zetsu, so I am afraid I can’t collect information so easily as I was. And given some of my more recent visitors, most of the Akatsuki has fallen in battle.”

“You still talk to them, even after what they have done?” Sakura demanded bitterly.

Mika titled her head slightly to the left. “They were people too. They made mistakes, and they fell under the promises of another. They are stuck where they are, because of what they did. Regardless, I still show them compassion. They have feelings too, no matter how you met them in their living states. They all come from different backgrounds and beliefs, and they are still my friends. They deserve someone to talk to, just as much as you or anyone else does.”

Kakashi cleared his throat, but he couldn’t think of how to word his question. He decided it was going to come out how it did, and so he just stated it. “Why didn’t you try to contact me?”

Her orbs drifted to his face. “I did…when Pain killed you. Your father just came to you first.” Kakashi nodded, before slipping his hands back into his pockets.

Tsunade looked at each of the faces in the room. “Shizune, take Yamato to the medical tents. Sakura you may go home now, you may also Naruto. As for you two—“ She paused to look at Kakashi and Mika, “You two will remain here for a meeting.”

Kakashi thought of the bar and how many wonderful drinks were awaiting him. Instead, he was stuck here, next to a ghost of his past. He sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long night…


	4. [Chapter 4: Care Packages and Painted Hope]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some background for Mika.

_Kunai shot through the air, making loud clanging noises as they hit their targets. A young boy ran across the field before leaping into the air and throwing more kunai. A sword hung across his back, and the sound of a nearby creek babbled in the otherwise silent environment. His movements were graceful and precise. He never missed a target, but he still felt he needed to practice more. He glanced towards an oak tree not too far from his target practice and sighed. How much longer was he going to try and hide himself? Kakashi thought, as his eye searched the branches for Gai._

_“I know you’re there.” He called out impatiently. He was met with silence. Who else would be watching him?_

_His question was answered as a girl jumped down from the tree, a drawing pad under one arm, and a bag draped over the other. “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just come here to draw sometimes… I tried to keep out of the way.”_

_Kakashi recognized her right away. He waved half-heartedly. “I just assumed you were Gai wanting a challenge. Why do you come out here to draw?”_

_He had always had a strange interest in this girl. She was never allowed to attend the Ninja Academy, even though he had watched her spar with his sensei before. He had his suspicions on her connection to his sensei as well, even though he was always silenced if asked. “Because you move well, and so it helps me with my action drawing.” He watched her mouth open in a slight gasp, before she cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that… I mean. I like to watch all the ninja practice.”_

_He chuckled quietly. She always had a calming nature about her, even though his interactions were very limited. He remembered when she had left him meals wrapped carefully in decorative packages after his father had passed. He never thanked her for them or even acknowledged that he knew it was her. She always tiptoed up his walkway, his sensei waiting in the street whenever she would leave a meal. “So you draw me?” He asked to tease her._

_She nodded honestly. “Sometimes. I should probably ask your permission first, but you always seem so concentrated.”_

_His was surprised by her answer. She was different than the other girls at school, besides Rin. Rin was different in her own way too. This girl was calm and honest. She was polite too, from what he had witnessed from her. Sometimes she would be louder whenever Jiraiya visited the village. He recalled the last time when Jiraiya had her up on his shoulders and she was eating sweet dumplings. Occasionally she had dropped one down into Jiraiya’s mouth, and he had wondered how she knew him._

_He also thought of how villagers treated her. They always whispered around her and their children always kept their distance. She always seemed content though, since she would chase butterflies and play with animals, and it always seemed as though she would shy away from the other children if they did try to speak to her. Well, he also knew she had a couple friends since he often saw her walking with Gai or one of his other classmates. He had also spotted her with Itachi on rare occasion. “Can I see some of your drawings?” He asked in a tone that made it seem if he was indifferent. Inside though, he was fighting back a strong urge to take her drawing pad and hide in the forest to examine her drawings. He didn’t like it when he couldn’t find out about others. He didn’t like the idea of being surprised in the wrong situations. To his relief, she held out her worn out drawing pad between her small hands._

_He waited a moment before taking it, so that he wouldn’t seem excited. As he thumbed through her drawings, he found himself in awe. She had very advanced art skills, and her drawings were almost realistic. He noticed that she had used him as a subject many times, and he found himself happy at the prospect. His eyes scanned over drawings of many familiar faces around the village. He looked over animals and the light shining through trees. The moon covered by drifting clouds. As he flipped through the pages, he noticed that she only had a few pages left, and the remaining pages were bordered with little doodles. He knew how to thank her for all those meals. He handed the book back._

_“These are pretty good.” He stated flatly. “I have to go though—what is your name?”_

_“Mika.” She grinned lightly. “I will see you later Kakashi.”_

_So she already knew his name. He waved over his shoulder as he walked away. Mika felt like she was floating. She had finally spoke to him more than just a plain greeting. She began walking towards her home, where she lived for the most part, alone. Today her parents would be over for dinner. She understood why she was kept a secret for the most part, but her life got lonely. She walked into her small home to find her parents already making dinner. She ran up to them and hugged both of them. “How was your day?” Her father asked, his mouth curved up into a big smile._

_“It was much better than I thought it would be.” She answered before setting her drawing materials on the couch. She walked to the sink and washed her hands and face for dinner. Her mother approached her and brushed her hair lightly with her fingers._

_“You have your father’s crazy hair, but at the same time it is tame like mine. How strange.” She commented._

_The young girl shrugged before sitting at the table. The back screen opened as Jiraiya walked in. “I thought I smelled something delicious…looks like I am just in time.” He grinned ear to ear, his hands rubbing together._

_Mika jumped up from her seat and led him over to the sink. “You have to wash up first!” She scolded him, noting his dirty hands._

_“Alright, alright.” He chuckled as he washed his hands. She took his jacket for him and hung it up in a hallway closet before setting his bags in the guest room. “I am only staying for two days this time, Mika. Maybe I should just sleep on the couch.”_

_She shook her head, appalled. “Nonsense! You’ve been sleeping on the ground for weeks. You are getting old, your bones need a soft bed sometimes.”_

_Her parents laughed loudly as they set the table, causing a groan from Jiraiya. “I am still young, Mika…”_

_The four of them sat at the table, and Mika clasped her hands together before thanking her parents for the meal. “I finally did something I never thought I would do.” She spoke, proudly._

_This caught the adults by surprise since she was usually very reserved. They looked at her calmly. “What would that be?” Minato asked, his eyes meeting with hers._

_Mika bit her lower lip. “Promise you won’t get mad?”_

_Her parents exchanged glances before nodding. “Go on.” Her mother coaxed._

_She inhaled, before looking at each of the adults. “I spoke to Kakashi, and I showed him my drawings.”_

_Minato sighed lowly. “I figured it was something like that. You know you have to be careful who you become friends with. Not everyone will understand our situation…”_

_Mika looked at Jiraiya. He always came to her defense, but this time he remained silent. “What if he realizes who you are?” her mother asked._

_“You and father didn’t do anything indecent…” Mika defended quietly. She knew how she came into existence. She knew it wasn’t normal._

_Jiraiya finally spoke, “I think Kakashi would be one of the better choices for her to be found out by… He keeps to himself, so I doubt he would share a secret of that magnitude. Besides, we can’t keep her a secret forever. People are already questioning as to why she looks so much like you two. It will come to attention at some point in her life.”_

_The table fell silent as each of them absentmindedly picked at their dinners. Occasionally they would glance about the room, or at each other. Mika ate her broiled fish carefully, and found that her floating feeling was fading away. She had thought that maybe they would be happy for her. She had finally tried to be a normal girl and talk to her crush, but it seemed that she could never be normal. Not even in her parents’ eyes. She looked at Jiraiya, and he gave her a knowing look. He always understood the difficult life she lived, and he always made sure to treat her like everyone else. He didn’t want her to ever make a wrong life choice later on down the road._

_They finished their meal in silence before cleaning up, and Mika looked at her parents. “You always said people treated you differently until you met father.” Her voice was frail and hopeful. “I am going to pack some food up for Kakashi before he gets home. Will you come with me Jiraiya?”_

_“Sure, Sure.” Jiraiya said, and Mika went into the kitchen and began packing dinner carefully, and she added some tea into a separate container before stacking them on top of one another. She wrapped them in a bright blue cloth with butterflies sporadically dancing in their stitching. She walked towards the front door, and only stopped to hug her parents before leaving with Jiraiya. Jiraiya glanced over his shoulder at Minato and Kushina before smiling lightly. He gave them a thumbs up before closing the door behind him._

_Mika walked quietly next to Jiraiya before he looked down at the care package in her hands. “How come you never pack me food to take with me?” He joked._

_“I pack you bread and rice balls all the time.” She pouted. “You just eat them before you actually leave the village.”_

_He reached into one of his pockets at pulled out a small package. He opened it and handed her a stick of dumplings. “We can get a popsicle later on.” She smiled up at him at his offer before taking the dumplings. They made random chit chat as they ate dumplings, and once they reached Kakashi’s walkway, Jiraiya stopped her. “He’s home, did you want me to place it? He’ll sense you before you even get halfway up his walkway.”_

_She shook her head, determined. He stared at her with an understanding hiding within his expression. She walked carefully up his walkway, and to Jiraiya’s surprise, she knocked on the door. Jiraiya watched as Kakashi’s shadow passed by his window. He nodded when she looked back at him, and he could tell she was nervous. “Let her do this.” He spoke, as he sensed Minato’s presence nearby._

_Jiraiya could tell by the rock bouncing off his head that Minato didn’t enjoy his supportive behavior. Jiraiya walked across the street and leaned against a tree, and as he looked up, he chuckled. “What if he hurts her feelings? Kakashi isn’t the warmest person in the world.” Minato asked, and Jiraiya could tell he was just a concerned father. “I don’t care if everyone finds out, she’s my daughter and I love her, but I might have to fight him if he hurts her and isn’t she too—“_

_“They aren’t much older than you and Kushina were.” Jiraiya cut him off. Minato rested against a branch in defeat._

_Both of their eyes shot up as Kakashi’s door opened. Mika pushed the food at him, and he stared at her, an eyebrow raising in her direction. “You aren’t just going to leave it at my door this time?”_

_Her heart jumped. He knew. “I… this is the first time.”_

_“No it isn’t. You tie it the same every time, and it is wrapped in the same way. You fold the cloth differently than anyone else I know.” He took the food carefully and leaned into his home to set it on a table next to the door. Mika looked up at him, hope appearing in her eyes. He sighed. “I guess I should thank you.”_

_He held up a hand before walking into his home. A few moments later, he returned with a brown bag and he held it out to her. Blue eyes shimmered as they looked over the bag. Her fingers gingerly grasped the handle. She untied it, and glanced inside, and she looked up at him. “For me?”_

_He nodded, and leaned against his door frame. One of her hands pushed the items around in the bag. New drawing supplies: six different drawing books in different sizes, paint, horse hair brushes, pencils, shading tools, even some supplies she had never seen before. Scrolls for bigger pieces of artwork, and books full of pictures for ideas. She couldn’t help herself, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, and his eyes grew wide in surprise. He glanced around, unsure what to do. He patted her back with a hand before she retracted. Her cheeks were painted a bright red, and she looked at the ground. “Sorry…” She lamely mumbled._

_He could still feel the warmth of her hug upon him, and he inhaled slowly to keep his composure. It had been a while since he had been hugged. The corners of his lips rose underneath his mask, and his eyes slightly crinkled. “It is no problem, just don’t do it again.” His voice suddenly got slightly abrasive, causing her to look up at him. She could tell he was still grinning, and so she giggled. “Well, I should eat before it gets cold.”_

_Mika took off towards Jiraiya, a Cheshire beaming across her face. Kakashi had already retreated into his home, but he watched her carefully from behind his window. Mika triumphantly held up her new bag to Jiraiya, and he took it to look inside. “It seems that he appreciated your meals.” Minato felt relief before he left the two alone._

_“Now, let’s go get that popsicle. Can we have cherry this time?” Mika asked, her voice light and airy._

_Jiraiya placed a hand on his chin before looking up, and mocking deep thought. “Well… I thought we could just go home and go to bed early.”_

_“You promised!” Mika exclaimed, causing a bright laughter from Jiraiya._

_“Alright, Alright. I guess we’ll have was it strawberry?”_

_“Cherry!”_

_“Berry?”_

_Her cheeks puffed up before she punched Jiraiya’s arm. “Stop doing that.”_

_He gestured for her to calm down. “Alright. Cherry it is.” The pair stopped at a vending machine. He placed in the money, and their popsicle fell with a thump. He opened the package, and threw the plastic into a nearby trashcan before snapping the popsicle in half. They both ate their frozen fruit juice as they walked back home._


	5. [Chapter 5: A Family Meal]

_Mika held her brown art bag close to her chest, and looked fearfully at the four much bigger boys in front of her. “What have you got there?” One asked, yanking it away from her. When she reached out for it, he pushed her down into a puddle of mud. “Hey, look she thinks she’s an artist.” The boy sneered as he held up one of the new books. He flipped it open. “Aww, look who she’s been drawing.”_

_The other boys looked over his shoulders at the drawings. “Oh, that loser? They’d be perfect for each other. They can go be alone together!”_

_“That means we wouldn't be alone anymore, baka.” She snapped as she snatched the book and her bag from their hands. “You guys are the losers for picking on me. There are four of you, and only one of me. That doesn't seem fair.”_

_The boys cracked their knuckles. “I think I like it better when you don’t talk. You might say something stupid and get yourself beat up.” They took a few steps towards her, and she held her bag tightly before she took off. “Not so tough are you?!”_

_She ran quickly towards the training grounds. One of the boys used a fire jutsu, causing her to have to dive behind a stump. She took off again, barely making it through the gate as a kunai would have struck her leg. Instead it clanged off the fence. To her dismay, the grounds were empty. She glanced around, her heart resounding in her ears before she hid her bag in a bush. She turned and waited for the boys to come through the fence. She brought her fists up and prepared to fight._

_As the first boy came onto the field, she swung her left leg and caught his gut. He made a strange gasping noise before falling onto the ground, causing the second boy to trip over the first. The third and fourth came in prepared, as they each swung a fist at her. She ducked just in time for them to strike each other. “You hit the wrong person, moron!” The third cried out, grasping his nose between his hands. The first two boys had gotten back to their feet. She no longer held the element of surprise._

_She attempted a Jutsu that she had once observed Itachi using, and instead of a successful move, all that came out was a hiss of chakra. She backed up slightly. She looked above her and noticed a beehive. She threw her shoe at it, knocking it to the ground, she picked it up and shook it violently before throwing it at the four boys. A dark cloud of angry buzzing surrounded them. She grabbed her bag from the hiding bush and took off again towards a hole in the fence leading to a trail back towards the main street way. She slid her bag through first, and began to squirm into the hole when her hair got caught in the fence. She stifled a gasp before trying to pull her hair free._

_She yanked as hard as she could, and it was still stuck. She felt a hand wrap around her ankle as she was pulled back onto the field. Her hair snagged tighter against the fence, keeping her trapped. She began kicking wildly at the boys who had somehow calmed the bees. She flailed her fists as they came closer. She managed to catch one of their faces in her nails and she tore his flesh, causing him to bleed and cry out in pain. He punched her in response, and her nose trickled blood like a leaky faucet. “You are going to pay now. You should have just let us take your bag.”_

_One of the boys reached towards her face, and she latched her teeth onto his arm. The taste of his blood made her want to spit, but she continued to bit harder and harder until she felt his skin in her mouth and his arm was away from her. The boy looked at his arm and began crying and she spit his skin at him. “I will seriously beat your asses if you don’t let me go.” She threatened, using her first ‘bad word’. Three of the boys looked at her before looking at their friend._

_“Big talk for the girl stuck in the fence.” One of the boys said before pulling out a kunai. “Too bad you don’t have any parents to keep an eye on you while you play.” He began to inch the kunai towards her face, and she closed her eyes tightly, anticipating a great deal of pain. The pain didn’t come. She slowly opened her eyes as she heard one of the boys dry heave somewhere to her right. She looked up to see that Kakashi and Gai had fought off her attackers, and they were crawling towards the field exit._

_Kakashi kneeled down to her and untangled her hair from the chain link fence’s grasp. “Gai and I overheard the commotion.” He explained as he reached through the hole and retrieved her bag. “Assholes.”_

_Mika looked at Kakashi and Gai as she fought back some impending waterworks. Gai held a hand out and she took it like it was a hot coal and he pulled her to a standing position. Kakashi placed her bag over his shoulders before gesturing for her to hop on. “I’ll take you home.” He stated as if it was obvious._

_Gai glared darkly at Kakashi. “I’ll take her home, rival!” Mika had climbed onto Kakashi’s back, leaving Gai to pout. “I’ll carry her home every day next week! I carry better than you!” He proclaimed._

_“Enough for today Gai. She had a rough day.” Kakashi snapped before carrying her off towards the main part of the village. She rested her head on her bag now that the throbbing from her nose was moving through her face. She wondered what she would tell Jiraiya. “They shouldn’t bother you again. I thought you had them when you first fought back. I should have intervened sooner, but I wanted to give you a chance to defend yourself. No use in entering a battle I wasn’t needed in. You have some pretty strong Taijutsu. You should practice more though. There won’t always be someone there to protect you.”_

_Her eyes narrowed at the back of his head. “If my hair hadn’t gotten caught, I would not have needed help.”_

_“You needed the bees’ help.”_

_She grunted at him. “Thank you for helping me.”_

_He readjusted her placing on his back before continuing on their way. Her house was well lit and she could tell she was going to be in trouble. She was home much later than she had said she would be, and Jiraiya always worried about her getting hurt. Kakashi walked her up to the door before setting her to her feet. “I’ll wait until you are—“_

_The door opened, and Jiraiya instantly looked over Mika’s face. “What happened?”_

_“I—I.” Mika stuttered._

_“We were sparring and she left an opening and I used a little more force behind my kick that I should have.” Kakashi interjected, his arms resting behind his head. “She is a resourceful fighter though._

_Jiraiya looked down at Kakashi. If it had been anyone else to bring her home, he probably would have gone ballistic, but since he thought highly of Kakashi he felt a little calmer. “Where is your other shoe?”_

_“I threw it to knock down a beehive on him.” Mika said, going along with Kakashi’s story. Kakashi grinned softly behind his mask. “I need to work on my defense.”_

_Jiraiya stepped aside to allow Mika to walk into the home. “Kakashi, why don’t you join us?”_

_Kakashi looked up Jiraiya. He thought about just going home, but when he saw Mika looking hopefully at him he just nodded and walked into the home. It was as he expected. It smelled like flowers and plant life, and unlike his own home, it was filled with welcoming colors and the atmosphere was open. Pictures of she and Jiraiya were on the walls, as well as some of her framed drawings. Mika kept the pictures of her and her parents in her room, in a secret album inside her mattress. He followed them into the kitchen. The kitchen had yellow walls and white counters, and the table was big for only one person. He looked out the open back door to see not a normal yard, but a fountain surrounded by a thriving garden._

_Mika immediately walked to the sink and washed her hands and face. He watched her as she looked disappointedly at her dress. Her blood was going to more than likely stain it. She reached into a cabinet and pulled out a few pots and pans. There was a package, most likely some kind of meat waiting on the counter. She placed down a cutting board and pulled out a slender knife. She opened the package and began to carefully slice the beef into even chunks. She set the beef chunks into a bowl and washed the knife and cutting board before cleaning off the counter. She started the rice cooker, and turned to take vegetables out of a storage bin. She peeled and sliced them with precision and began to heat some oil. Kakashi felt himself relaxing at the kitchen table, his eyes following her every movement. It was a nice change of pace from him eating alone. Jiraiya had also joined in the dinner preparations._

_They looked like a little family to him, and he wanted to ask why they knew each other. Soon the smell of beef stew began to fill the home. It was a savory full scent, and his stomach grumbled in welcoming. Soon dinner was prepared and Mika set the table. “You haven’t washed yet, Kakashi.” She reminded. He walked over to the sink and washed his hands before pulling his mask down to wash his face. When he returned to the table, Mika had already served out the meal. “There is more if you are still hungry.”_

_Kakashi looked down at the food, and then back up at her. “Thank you.” He felt weird not being alone. It was refreshing and he was enjoying it. He lowered his mask, and he could feel Mika’s eyes upon him. He glanced up, and she quickly looked down, her cheeks a light pink. He had never let anyone see his face before. Jiraiya was writing as they ate._

_“Did you both have a good day?” He asked after swallowing half his glass of tea._

_“I finally got to draw the rabbit from the backyard. I bribed him with a carrot.” Mika announced._

_Jiraiya chuckled. “The brown one or the black one?”_

_“There’s more than one?” Mika pouted. “I thought we just had the brown one.”_

_Kakashi looked between the two of them. “I got a new book today. About advanced team tactics.”_

_“Oh?” His dinner partners said in unison._

_“It’s about maneuvering through different terrain and how to form your group for the most effective way to travel.”_

_Mika looked across the table at him. “Maybe you can teach me what you learn.”_

_“Perhaps. First we would have to work on your Taijutsu.”_

_Jiraiya kept his laughter to himself as the two children spoke to each other. “Do you like popsicles?” Mika asked. Jiraiya felt a slight pang of jealousy. That was their bonding food._

_Kakashi shrugged. “I’ve never had one.”_

_Mika’s face covered over with alarm. “Jiraiya we have—“_

_“We’ll get one while we walk him home.”_

_Her feet tapped together under the table in a small victory dance. Kakashi felt a weird sensation in his chest. The three of them ate and talked as if this was a normal, everyday occurrence. Kakashi felt welcome in their presence. After dinner he helped clean up, and as he was washing dishes Mika was drying them. Their fingers gently touched a few times, causing both of them to blush._

_Once the table and kitchen were clean the three set off for his house. They stopped at the vending machine and Mika let Kakashi pick their flavor. He chose cherry, much to Mika’s secret delight. She broke theirs in half and handed it to him. Jiraiya had gotten himself an orange one, but upon seeing Minato watching across the street, he beckoned him over. He shared his own as the two young ones walked a little ahead of them. “It’s good, isn’t it??” Mika asked excitedly._

_“It is pretty good.” Kakashi laughed a little._

_Minato felt pride in his heart that his daughter had gotten his student to seem so carefree for the evening. He and Jiraiya talked about how dinner went, and the two kids talked about meeting up for sparring. They had almost even walked right past his house. “See you tomorrow.” Mika said softly._

_“Make sure you come prepared tomorrow.” He said before waving goodnight. He felt very confused as he entered his house._

_Jiraiya gave Mika a piggy back ride home since she had become tired from the day’s events. Minato followed them, and he tucked his daughter into bed for the first time in months. She was finally making close friends, and as he brushed through her bangs with his fingers, that creeping feeling of every father entered his mind… What if Kakashi becomes her boyf—He shook his head. Nope. Not going to happen. He kissed her forehead and left to report his findings to Kushina._


End file.
